Plywood Load Capacity Calculator

Formula

To calculate the Load Capacity (LC) of a piece of plywood:

\[ LC = L \times W \times MP \]

Where:

\(LC\) is the Load Capacity (lbs)
\(L\) is the length of the plywood (ft)
\(W\) is the width of the plywood (ft)
\(MP\) is the max pressure based on thickness (psf)

What is Plywood Load Capacity?

A plywood load capacity is the maximum weight a piece of plywood can hold without breaking. The load capacity assumes that the weight is distributed evenly across the piece of wood, which is often not the case, so the load capacity should not be taken as "if I put x amount of weight right in the center it will hold". This will lead to failure.

Example Calculation 1

Let's assume the following values:

Length of Plywood (\(L\)) = 4 ft
Width of Plywood (\(W\)) = 8 ft
Thickness of Plywood = 0.500"

Using the formula:

Step 1: Determine the max pressure from the table for 0.500" thickness:

\[ MP = 35 \, psf \]

Step 2: Calculate the Load Capacity:

\[ LC = 4 \times 8 \times 35 = 1120 \, lbs \]

The Load Capacity is 1120 lbs.

Example Calculation 2

Let's assume the following values:

Length of Plywood (\(L\)) = 2 ft
Width of Plywood (\(W\)) = 4 ft
Thickness of Plywood = 0.250"

Using the formula:

Step 1: Determine the max pressure from the table for 0.250" thickness:

\[ MP = 16 \, psf \]

Step 2: Calculate the Load Capacity:

\[ LC = 2 \times 4 \times 16 = 128 \, lbs \]

The Load Capacity is 128 lbs.